Occupy trio report to police for ‘arrest by appointment’

Three student activists reported to the police headquarters in Wan Chai for “arrests by appointment” on Thursday morning under charges of unlawful assembly during the pro-democracy Occupy protests last year.

Scholarism convener Joshua Wong, along with Hong Kong Federation of Students’ secretary general Nathan Law and ex-secretary general Alex Chow, are expected to be formally charged with joining an unlawful assembly and inciting others to do so during the Occupy movement last year.

Over a dozen people showed up at the police station in support of the trio.

The trio outside Wan Chai Police HQ. Photo: 社會民主連線 via Facebook.

Wong criticised the “arrest by appointment” as being deliberately timed to come just as the August 31 anniversary of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee’s decision on Hong Kong electoral system reforms is approaching.

“They’re prosecuting us for entering a place that anyone should be able to enter, and saying it’s an unlawful assembly—we suspect… political considerations involved,” he added.

The trio were arrested for breaking into the East Wing Forecourt of the Central Government Office (Civic Square) on September 26 last year.

The NPCSC’s decision on August 31 last year mandated that those running in the chief executive elections need to be pre-approved. It sparked widespread discontent and layed the roots for the Occupy movement.

Update (12:55pm):In a statement on Facebook, Joshua Wong announced that he had been formally charged by the police with taking part in an unlawful assembly and inciting others to take part in unlawful assembly. He will appear at Eastern Magistrates’ Court on September 2. Wong said that he could not understand how entering the Civic Square would constitute “a breach of peace,” as had been stated on the details of the charges.

Support independent media

Partner with HKFP

HKFP Weekly Newsletter

Email address:

We will not share your details with third parties.

What is Hong Kong Free Press?

Hong Kong Free Press is a non-profit English language news source seeking to unite critical voices. Free and independent, HKFP launched in 2015 amid rising concerns over declining press freedom in Hong Kong and during an important time in the city’s constitutional development.
Click here to learn how you can support us and ensure our independence.